The White House last week dodged questions about how the $33.5 billion in tax incentives and credits passed by the House of Representatives in its omnibus energy bill — more than three times the amount proposed by President Bush — would be funded.

Bush proposed only $10 billion in energy tax credits as part of his national energy strategy, which prompted speculation last week that the president might oppose the House tax initiatives or that the money to pay for the expanded tax breaks might have to come from the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.

“…[T]here’s room for compromise, room for give and take. The president is going to continue to work productively with Congress on that issue,” said spokesman Ari Fleischer. He noted that “there is plenty of room in the budget to fund the president’s priorities…while saving every penny of Social Security for Social Security and to meet our nation’s commitments.” Fleisher said the country “is on track to have the second largest [budget] surplus in history.”

Bush is “very pleased” that the nation “is heading toward a strong energy policy,” he noted. “Whether the bill is a 100% reflective of what the president wanted, or whether it’s 80 to 85%, is less important than the fact that progress is being made, and…the president welcomes the progress.”

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